MasukI tried to hold back my emotions and smiled sweetly at the man in front of me, Benjamin, Gilbert along with the others around us looked surprised to see him recognize me, "Happy Birthday, it's free for you." I said casually then thrust a glass of Jagerbomb towards him.
He laughed but drank it in one quick gulp as if the drink had no effect on him.
Sh*t!
He's capable of holding alcohol, I muttered to myself.
"I didn't know you worked here." He asked as if we were old friends, but when someone ordered something and I took my eyes off him, I gasped in surprise to see the person being pulled by a man dressed in black which made me look back at the horrible man.
"I'm working right now." I sighed in annoyance and saw him raise an eyebrow before looking to my right.
"LOUIS!!!" My eyes widened as I heard him call out to my boss who was currently in the corner helping with the cashier.
Louis looked in his direction before walking over and standing next to me, "What's wrong? Not enough drink?" He asked while thrusting another bottle of drink towards him.
D*mn it, I should have known he knew Louis, stupid, stupid!!!
"Can I borrow your bartender?" I was stunned to hear him talk about me as if I were an item, then turned to look at my boss with my arms folded in annoyance, waiting for his answer.
I’ll be mad if he says okay, I thought irritably.
But Louis raised his hand as a sign of surrender, "Ask the person, you see what she is doing next to me, I don't want to be killed by a little girl, it would be very embarrassing." he said with a laugh then walked away leaving us again.
Seriously?! That's it?!
UGH… Useless man!
“So…” He said smirking like he has got the answer from stupid Louis.
“Take a rest, we’ll take it from here.” Benjamin interrupted with a wink like he came to my rescue.
Why are they acting like this?
The man stared at Benjamin for a while before nodding his head. “Thanks, man.” He said and I couldn't hide my annoyance and rolled my eyes before walking away from them.
“I’ll take a break.” I told them loudly and saw the annoying man following me from the other side like he’s afraid I’m going to run.
Sh*t..
Me and my bad luck!
I sighed when I saw him waiting for me at the end of the counter and ignored the other women who talked to him.
Rude much?
Are you sure you’re thinking he’s rude?
Shut up, brain!
“So, we meet again Dwyne,” he greeted me with a hang hand for me to grab and I just stared at it with a raised eyebrow, “Let’s go to the VIP room.” He explained when I was still staring at his hand.
VIP room, I don't want to think what will happen there.
"Come on, I don't bite..." He teased while laughing at his own joke, "Hard." He added and I couldn’t help but groan loudly which made him laugh harder.
God!
I slowly took his hand and he grasped my hand tightly while pulling me to walk with him.
"Took you long enough" He commented under his breath.
I stared at him "Please don't kill me" I said quickly and made him laugh out loud as we walked together.
Aware of everyone's gaze on me, I looked down in shame as I walked with him.
Who the h*ll is this guy?!
Pop..
Pop..
Pop..!!
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”
I jumped in surprise when I opened the VIP door and everyone yelled out birthday wishes along with a burst of champagne towards us which made me scream in surprise.
"What’s this?" The horrible man exclaimed, which was met with another burst of champagne towards his face which made me laugh out loud at the sight of his shocked expression.
He looked back at me as I laughed before I shook my head as I watched him grab another bottle of champagne.
"No... don't... don't you dare spray at…. AAAHHH" I threatened but was immediately silenced as he sprayed the champagne at me who gasped in shock, "F*ck!" I cursed at him who was currently laughing out loud at me.
Everyone seemed to be bewitched looking at him and fell silent looking at the laughing birthday man.
********
He thrust a towel at me who was wet from the champagne splash.
By this time everyone in VIP had gone downstairs to dance and left the two of us here.
Ugh... it's sticky, I grumble.
"Look at my hair, it's like cotton candy," I grumbled in annoyance as I took a hair tie from my pocket and tied it casually.
It wasn't just my hair that felt sticky but my whole body, "Why would you waste an expensive drink like that? What a waste." I said, still mumbling and trying to wipe my wet and sticky body.
I lifted my tanktop and wiped my stomach which was also wet and sticky without knowing the man beside me was watching me with his naughty grin beside me.
Ugh.. sticky.. sticky everywhere!!!
I gasped in shock as my hand was pulled and made me fall into the arms of that horrible man who was sitting on the sofa.
Yes, I still call him the horrible man because until now I didn't know his name. I remember Richard mentioned but I have forgotten it, ugh.
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, "What do you want?"
He kept his arms around my waist, holding me back from escaping his embrace.
If anyone comes in, they'll think I'm seducing him because our position as if I'm in his lap looks defiant.
"You look delicious." He said while locking his eyes on me.
I wanted to be offended but couldn't help but laugh, this was the first time I heard such words of seduction.
With raised eyebrows he smiled as he continued to look at me and then surprisingly kissed my neck.
"What are you..." Before I could protest, he savagely sucked my lips and tightened his embrace.
A part of me wants to push him. As if knowing my hesitation, he deepened his kiss as if to mesmerize me and make me forget where I was at the moment.
Defeated, I kissed him back and gasped when he locked his gaze on me with a small smile that made my heart skip a beat.
"It's the first champagne I've ever tasted so good." His comment made me laugh again and smacked him lightly on the chest, what a flirt!
As if just realizing my current position, I hurriedly stood up and tried to fix my appearance which I knew must be very messy, trying to divert and forget about what I had just done with the man in front of me.
"I have to go back to work," I said quietly without looking into his eyes, too embarrassed.
Before I left, he pulled my hand again and quickly put on a dry shirt.
"Only I can see you almost naked like that." he whispered in my ear and made me realize that all this time he could see my body clearly because it was wet.
" Pervert!" I grumbled and he just laughed without any guilt or shame.
I studied the oversized t-shirt on my body before tying it at the stomach so that it wasn't too baggy.
"Later then." I said quickly after finishing tidying up and hurriedly ran away with my heart still beating fast.
What was I doing there?! I said embarrassed remembering the hot kiss I gave to the man whose name I didn't even remember.
***************
I slept more than I stayed awake.The doctors explained that my body was still recovering from the prolonged effects of the sedatives, the dehydration, and the physical exhaustion I had endured during those endless days of captivity.Every time I woke up, Bradley was there.Sometimes he sat beside my bed, quietly reading through documents while one of his hands remained wrapped around mine.Sometimes he was standing near the window, speaking softly on the phone before immediately ending the conversation the moment he noticed I had opened my eyes.Other times, he simply watched me sleep.I never asked how long he had stayed because I already knew the answer, long enough to make the nurses whisper every time they entered the room and long enough that they no longer looked surprised whenever they found him sitting exactly where he had been hours before.But, he never complained or looked tired in front of me, even though the faint shadows beneath his eyes told me a different story.Three
**(go to Dwyne's Point of View)**Darkness slowly gave way to light.The first thing I became aware of was not the sound of machines or the faint scent of antiseptic lingering in the air, but it was the warmth. A gentle warmth wrapped around my hand.My fingers twitched instinctively, and I immediately felt another hand tighten around mine with incredible care, as though afraid I might disappear if he let go.My eyelids felt impossibly heavy, but I forced them open little by little.Everything around me was blurry at first; I just noticed a white ceiling, soft lighting and the quiet rhythm of medical equipment somewhere beside me.Then my vision slowly cleared and
The steel door slowly swung open.The underground chamber fell completely silent the moment I stepped inside.Benjamin Harrington sat restrained in the center of the room, his expensive suit now wrinkled and stained from the struggle during his capture. The confidence that had always defined him was gone, replaced by a face that had finally begun to understand the consequences of his decisions.Around the room, more than a dozen of my most trusted men stood without speaking.Richard. Marco. Gray and several captains who had fought beside me for years. None of them interrupted because none of them dared. The only sound came from the steady rhythm of a heart monitor beside the room, not because Benjamin deserved comfort but because I wanted him alive.A physician stood quietly nearby, his medical bag already open. He had been given only one instruction."Keep him alive."Nothing more and nothing less.Benjamin slowly lifted his head when he heard my footsteps approaching."So..." His vo
**(Bradley's Point of View)** The elevator doors slid open in complete silence.Richard followed one step behind me while Marco and Gray walked beside us despite the bandages still covering their wounds. Neither of them had fully recovered, but I knew better than to order them to stay behind.This was no longer just my battle.Benjamin Harrington had declared war against every person who stood beside me the moment he kidnapped Dwyne.Tonight, that war would end.As we crossed the underground parking garage, several black SUVs were already waiting with their engines running.More than fifty of my trusted men stood in disciplined formation.The moment they saw me, every conversation stopped, no one greeted me or spoke anything. They simply lowered their heads in silent respect because they knew where we were g
**(Bradley's Point of View)**The helicopter landed on the rooftop of the hospital just after midnight. Before the rotors had completely stopped spinning, the medical team was already waiting; Doctors, trauma surgeons and nurses. Every one of them had been called before we arrived, no delays, no paperwork and no questions.Only one priority, to save her.The cabin door opened, and I stepped out first, still carrying Dwyne carefully in my arms. She had not opened her eyes since the helicopter left the estate. Her breathing had become steadier because of the oxygen, but the unnatural paleness of her face made my chest tighten with every passing second.One of the doctors approached carefully."Mr. Castelano, we need to transfer her to the stretcher."I looked down at the woman sleeping against my chest. For a brief moment, I did not move. Then finally I nodded.As gently as if she were made of glass, I laid her on the waiting stretcher and the medical staff immediately surrounded her."
**(Bradley's Point of View)**The west wing of the estate had already fallen.One report after another came through my earpiece as my men continued clearing every corridor, every room, and every hidden passage Benjamin Harrington had prepared long before tonight."The underground garage is secure.""The second floor has been cleared.""Three suspects have been captured alive.""The tunnel has been sealed."None of it mattered for me now, only one report did."Miss Dwyne."That was all I wanted to hea
As I sat in the VIP seats with the famous Chef Daniel Humm who would be serving us his delicious food at Eleven Madison Park, I knew that I was dreaming.Bradley, instead of sitting on the bench in front of me, moved the bench so that it was right next to me while giving a big smile towards me who co
Taking out the cream that Scarlet had given me at the cafe, I slowly applied the cream to my battered face again after taking a long soak in my bathtub. Letting out a sigh of relief, I grabbed my clothes and put them on before walking out to the delicious bed that was waiting for me. Yes, no matter
My eyes widened when we stopped in front of the place. “Olio e Piu? Don't we have to make a reservation first? It's not a restaurant you can just walk into like that, Brad." Was my comment still in shock. I stared dumbfounded at the expensive restaurant and refused to get out of the car. With my clo
I took a long nap the moment my bed hit me. It was 3PM when I woke up and decided to order Chinese food since I’m too lazy to cook anything. If I could actually, you know how bad I am with cooking. While waiting, I decided to take a bath and I sat in the tub for a long time until I figured if my ski







